Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) suggests that border crossings between British Columbia and Washington are set to quadruple from 2021.
During fiscal year 2023, there were 42,913 encounters with illegal immigrants. The number is up from 12,345 encounters in 2021.
In the first half of fiscal year 2024, there have already been 27,483 migrant encounters.
Across the entire U.S.-Canadian border, 2023 saw 189,402 migrant encounters.
Special agent with Washington Homeland Security Investigations Matthew Murphy said, “Last year we had record high numbers, higher numbers than we had in a decade, and this year we’re on pace to more than double that.”
“These are kind of unprecedented numbers in this area,” he noted.
Indians are the leading group crossing into Washington from British Columbia. More than 7,000 Indian migrants have been encountered at the British Columbia-Washington sector in the first half the current fiscal year.
American Faith reported that Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia said an “unprecedented number” of illegal immigrants are entering the United States from Canada.
The crises unfolding throughout the U.S. borders have resulted in an increase in mental health issues among border patrol agents.
Many other agents have left the U.S. Border Patrol.
Between October 2020 and April 2024, 4,281 agents left the Border Patrol. Between 2014 and 2020, an average of 257 Border Patrol agents retired early each year. Since 2021, about 529 agents have chosen to leave as early as possible.
